Olivet Nazarene University - Aurora Yearbook (Bourbonnais, IL)

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Scriptural Holiness Or, Some Scriptural Reasons for Preaching the Doctrine and Professing the Experience of Holiness or Entire Sanctification. By Rev. J. E. Gaar, Pastor University Church. X ' N RECENT years, much has been said upon the subject of holiness and many apologies have been made for the doctrine and the ex- perience of holiness or entire sanctification. Viewing the sub- ject negatively, we should say that we do not insist upon the correct- ness and the necessity of it for ecclesiastical reasons — the Church of the Nazarene and the Methodist churches not excepted. It is admitted, generally, by these who are informed, that the Methodist Church was founded up- on this particular doctrine. Mr. Wesley declared that for this pur- pose the Methodist Church seemed to have been raised up. And while the constituency of the Church of the Nazarene feels that God has in these last days raised up their church to conserve the great cause of organized holiness, and while they seem to have the matter well in hand, these things are by no means a safe guarantee of the reasonableness and right- eousness of this great doctrine. In Peter ' s first general epistle, third chapter and fifteenth verse, we have the following very impor- tant words : But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts : and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. In these simple and comprehensive words, we are brought face to face with two things : first, heart sanctifica- tion ; and secondly, readiness to give a reason for professing the blessing. Hence, there are reasons why we preach the doctrine and profess the ex- perience of holiness that far transcend those of all other ecclesiastical bodies, however much they have done or may do in years to come. We will offer some reasons from a positive standpoint. First, God is Holy. These are very significant words : And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. (Lev. 19:1-2.) Here we have: Rev. J. E. Gaar Pastor I ' ll ' r uly-l ll ' l)

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FACULTY Student Teachers Mabel V. Cruse Commercial Elsie Jenks Bookkeeping iiiMiMiiiiiimnimiiiiiiiiiiimMiMiiiiiiiiliimilillliMUHi Some men lift until they ' can see the stars ' , but they lift at their boot straps. Climbing insurmountable obstacles is a dreadfully poor undertaking for the faint- hearted. The Bible has been called ' the best book of etiquette ever written, because it requires people to correct their own faults and not to magnify the faults of others, If you want to cheat yourself badly, just allow the good things of life to rob you of the best things. Je Twenty-one

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1. God ' s messenger, His specially chosen servant, Moses ; and 2. A message for all the congregation , not a part, but ALL, 3. They were all to be holy , and 4. The reason God himself gives for making such demands is, because I the Lord your God am holy. Holiness was God ' s original purpose and highest ideal concerning man. Some very graphic statements are found in Ephesians 1 :4 : According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. In these words of the apostle there are at least three things stated : 1. God made a choice for us. 2. That choice was made before He laid the foundation of the world ; hence before man came upon the scene. 3. That choice was blameless holiness. When we consider that He has infinite resources from which to make a choice for the race, and that from all these He makes the choice of holiness for us, then we more fully appreciate the choice. Hallelujah ! God has commanded us to accept His choice. But as He which has called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation ; because it is written be ye holy; for I am holy. (I Pet. 1:15, 16.) Holiness is first of all, a heart made clean by the precious blood of Jesus, under the baptismal fires of the Holy Ghost, and, secondly, a clean consistent life or deportment the result of a sanctified heart. The thing the world needs to-day is men who are holy in all manner of living. (R. V.) Then the conversation will be wholesome and the life transparent. It is the purpose, or ultimate end, of all Bible truth that men should be holy ; All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness : that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (II Tim. 3 :16, 17.) In these verses we see that the Bible is not only inspired of God, but that it is tremendously effective, insisting on the perfecting or entire sanctification of, not the world, not the sinner, not the backslider, but the man of God , the regenerated Christian ; hence, it is of necessity a SECOND BLESSING, or a second definite work of Divine Grace. Holiness is a result of preaching Christ : Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom ; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus ; whereunto I also labor, strivin g accord- ing to His workings, which worketh in me mightily. (Col. 1:28,29.) In the above we have the following: 1. A message of warning. 2. A message of wisdom. 3. A message to all or to every man in Christ Jesus, to be perfect. 4. The same desire or working that stirred Him in His ministry is seen to be the same incentive and striving that worketh in us mightily. Hence the beautiful thought, that the effort to get men sanctified is not a human effort alone but His mighty working in us. Continued on Page 26 Tiventy-three